Into the Ocean
by jenniblu421
Summary: Written to satisfy my curiosity. What would happen if Edward is on the cliff with Bella when she thinks she is hearing a delusion? It should be interesting... Set during New Moon.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! So here is the first chapter. It pulls heavily from New Moon but the content becomes more original as the story progresses. Give it a chance, I think you might be surprised. Love it or hate it, comments are highly encouraged.

Twilight is the sole property of Stephenie Meyer and I mean no infringement of her copyright in any way.

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The ocean sounded very far away, somehow farther than before, when I was on the path in the trees. I grimaced when I thought of the probable temperature of the water. But I wasn't going to let that stop me.

The wind blew stronger now, whipping the rain into eddies around me,

I stepped out to the edge, keeping my eyes on the empty space in front of me. My toes felt ahead blindly, caressing the edge of the rock when they encountered it. I drew in a deep breath and held it… waiting.

"Bella."

I smiled and exhaled.

_Yes_? I didn't answer out loud, for fear that the sound of my voice would shatter the beautiful illusion. He sounded so real, so close. It was only when he was disapproving like this that I could hear the true memory of his voice—the velvet texture and the musical intonation that made up the most perfect of all voices.

"Don't do this," he pleaded.

_You wanted me to be human_, I reminded him. _Well, watch me_.

"Please, for me."

_But you won't stay with me any other way_.

"Please." It was just a whisper in the blowing rain that tossed my hair and drenched my clothes—making me as wet as if this were my second jump of the day.

I rolled up onto the balls of my feet.

"No Bella!" He was angry now, and the anger was so lovely.

I smiled and raised my arms straight out, as if I were going to dive, lifting my face into the rain. But it was too ingrained from years of swimming at the public pool- feet first, first time. I leaned forward, crouching to get more spring…

And I flung myself off the cliff.

I screamed as I dropped through the open air like a meteor, but it was a scream of exhilaration and not fear. What I didn't expect was to slam into something on the way down. My scream died in my throat from the pressure around my chest.

"Damn it Bella," Edward growled. Well at least he was still with me.

I sucked in a painful breath just before crashing through the surface of the water. Despite the powerful pressure around my chest I felt an odd since of accomplishment. I did it. I was proud of myself as I plunged deeper into the water.

That was when the current caught me. It was the oddest feeling. The water was freezing, much colder than I expected and my chest was still squeezing tight from hitting something on the way down. I felt like I was being drug from the waist deeper and deeper into the water.

I could feel the waves slamming into me as the currents fought over my body, but I still seemed to be moving in one general direction. I fought to keep my lips closed tightly. I needed to keep the little air I had been able to acquire just before hitting the water. If I lost it, I didn't know what I would do.

I opened my eyes but I couldn't see anything around me. I tried to turn my body, to fight the pull but I guess gravity was just too much. I turned my head instead in a last feeble attempt to find up from down. Instead, I saw Edward.

It didn't surprise me that my delusion of Edward was there. He owed me that much, considering that I was dying. I was surprised by how sure that knowledge was. I was going to drown. I was drowning.

I thought briefly of the clichés, about how you were suppose to see your life flash before your eyes. I was so much luckier. Who wanted to see a rerun anyway?

I saw him, and I had no will to fight. It was so clear, so much more defined than any memory. My subconscious had stored Edward away in flawless detail, saving him for this final moment. I could see his perfect face as if he were really there; the exact shade of his icy skin, the shape of his lips, the line of his jaw, the gold glinting in his furious eyes.

He was a faint bright spot in the black water. I couldn't stop wondering at his furious and determined face. I was dimly surprised when I noticed that he was swimming with me. So that was the pull around my waist. I guess my delusions had finally taken over in my final moments. It made sense and I wasn't going to complain in the least. If I was going to die, I could think of no better face to see.

My lungs were aching for oxygen and my legs and arms were breaking down. I wouldn't be able to keep the water out much longer. But, did I really want to?

"Keep swimming," the Edward in my head roared while the Edward in front of me shot a terrified look at my face. I found it strangely odd and comforting that I at least got to see Edward-- even if it wasn't the real him, but just a hallucination—instead of just hearing him. My hold on my oxygen was slipping. I felt it rush from my mouth before I could do anything to stop it. The cold, burning water flooded down my lungs and black spots blotted Edward from my eyes.

This was it. I was dying and that thought was oddly comforting to me. At least I got to die with Edward

_Goodbye, I love you_, was my last thought.

At that moment my head broke the water. In what felt like the next second I felt a repeated, rhythmic pressure on my chest and the water began to flood from my lungs.

There was nothing that I could compare this feeling to. The water burned up my throat and nose as it was expelled from my body. I couldn't breathe, the water wouldn't let me. I felt a cold pressure on my mouth and despite the salt, I could taste an incomparable flavor. Edward.

The cold left my mouth and another torrent of water left my body.

"Breathe Bella!"

I was comforted by the sound of Edward's perfect voice. He was still with me. So long as he was here, what happened to me didn't matter.

"Bella, please!" his voice was begging me, wild with worry just like that time with James and just as I did then, I fought to open my eyes, to see Edward's perfect face. So long as I could still hear his voice, maybe I would still be able to see him too…

I could taste Edward again and realized slowly that the cold was back on my mouth. I felt my lungs expand with his breath and then flow out again in a movement that I had no control over.

"Please," he whispered against my lips. My body would respond to his voice any day, dead or not, so it was no surprise to me when I felt my lungs expand on their own, pulling in his most perfect scent.

I didn't care if I was dead, didn't care about anything except for seeing his face again.

I fought with my eyes, opening them painfully slow. The salt made them sting but that didn't matter. Nothing mattered but him. The moment they were open, I was met by his intense, coal black gaze.

"Oh thank God," he said, relief was visible in every part of his face.

"Edward?" I croaked.

"Are you okay?" he whispered frantically.

"Oh, Edward. What… did I?…"

"Did you what?"

"Am I dead?" I croaked. My throat felt like it had been scrubbed away from the inside out. I felt dumb voicing the question out loud. Did it matter if I was? Honestly, nothing should matter so long as I was with him.

"No, you are not dead," he said stiffly. Uh oh. So, if I wasn't dead then that lead two options: option one, I was crazy and option two… no crazy and dead were my only two options. I didn't think that death would be this painful, my throat was screaming in protest every time I even contemplated taking a breath. So crazy it was.

"Oh crap," I gasped.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Well, what was the point of hiding it? He was just a delusion anyways… a perfect delusion.

"I think I have gone crazy," I admitted.

"Well throwing yourself off of a cliff doesn't exactly scream sane, Bella." His tone was clipped, disapproving in a very beautiful way. The relief was quickly fading and I could see the fury building behind planes of his face. "Are you okay?" he asked very slowly, fighting his emotions.

"I think so, besides my being crazy."

"I am glad," he said with relief. He slowly ran his cold hands down my face. In the next moment is face was scary in his fury. "Isabella Marie Swan , what in the HELL were you thinking?" he roared.

I cringed against the sand. "I'm sorry, I wasn't…"

He suddenly cut me off. "Do you think that you are well enough to be moved?"

"I think so."

"Good, because we have a problem," he said suddenly distracted from his previous train of thought.

"What?" I asked worried by his wide, angry eyes. I knew his face well enough to know that this anger was no longer directed at me.

"We have to go," he said suddenly. He stood up, lifting me with him in one motion. His arms, ice cold and hard, felt far too real on my wet skin. He began to run and the cold air whipped against my skin. Everything was beginning to make more sense, but what happened to make him so worried?

I was suddenly thoroughly convinced that I was alive. Edward was very much real. I could feel him move as he streaked through the woods, could hear his quiet breathing as he bent his head over me and buried his face into my hair.

"Where are we going?" I shuddered in the cold.

"To the house, Carlisle should be there by now." He was anxious.

"What's wrong?" Something wasn't right and it went beyond my own stupidity.

"I broke the treaty," he said simply.

Oh crap.

"What does this mean?"

"War."

"No! Edward, no!" I struggled to give my voice authority.

"This isn't my decision Bella, but we have a little while." His face was grave.

"What's happening Edward?"

I took a long look at my face before answering.

"Those dogs were on their way to the beach. They are hunting _Victoria_," he growled her name.

So that's why we had to leave so quickly.

"But Jake—"

Edward looked into my eyes for another long moment, measuring my face. What he was looking for I had no idea, but I could tell he wasn't happy with what he saw.

"Jacob Black will be fine," he said in a thick voice.

"Edward, what…" I began but stopped abruptly as the large white mansion came into view. It took my breath away. I never thought that I would be here again, not after the last time.


	2. Chapter 2

"_Edward, what…" I began but stopped abruptly as the large white mansion came into view. It took my breath away. I never thought that I would be here again, not after the last time. _

"Carlisle," Edward called frantically as he approached the house.

Carlisle was there in an instant, meeting us at the door. Edward walked past him swiftly and laid me down gently on the white couch. Carlisle was immediately over me, taking note of my appearance. He leveled a look at Edward and the next moment Edward was gone.

"Where…" I began frantically. He couldn't leave me, not so soon after getting here.

"Don't worry Bella, he is just getting you new clothes and a blanket," he said in his soothing voice. I was worried that Edward would leave. Would he disappear just like that? Without even a goodbye? That thought was ripping my chest apart and with a sudden shock I realized that the hole was not so bad. Actually, when I was in his arms on the way there was no hole. None, but now, without him in my sites, I could feel myself ripping apart again. What would it be like when he left again as he undoubtedly would.

I felt the irrational tears well up in my eyes and spill over as Carlisle began checking my vitals. Dimly I was surprised that the salt had not completely sapped all of the liquid from my body. Within seconds Edward was back with a small stack of clothes and blankets in his hand. I could feel relief radiate from every pore in my body at his reappearance. Yes, I would pay dearly for this later.

"How is she?" he demanded, never removing his eyes from my face.

"She seems fine, just dehydrated," Carlisle answered him and then turned to me. "Bella, how do you feel?"

"I'm fine," I mumbled. Carlisle lifted my hair and gently ran his hands down my neck.

"Does anything hurt?"

"Just my throat."

"That's understandable, anything else? You're neck or back?"

"No," I mumbled fiddling with a piece of my hair.

"Good, I am glad." He looked at Edward and he nodded. Edward came over and sat down gently beside me. He gazed at me for a long moment and wiped the tears from my eyes. Then he picked me up gently from the couch.

"Where are we going?" I was surprised, not that I would complain so long as I was in his arms. These arms were holding me securely together in one piece. Just being with him made me feel whole and alive. It gave me a sudden high that didn't mesh well with the exhaustion, but that hardly mattered. I would not sleep when I could be spending time with Edward.

"I am taking you so that you can change, you're shivering" he said softly. I thought about that; I hadn't even noticed. He walked me to the bathroom behind the stairs and sat me down gently. Once on my feet I realized just how worn down I really was. I wasn't sure how long I could remain standing on my own. He kept a cautionary hold on my waist to make sure that I was steady. The inside of my head was still rolling like the ocean giving me fait feeling of standing on a boat.

"I'll let you change, just let me know when you are done." He dropped his hand from my waist and held out the clothes for me. I nodded in response and took the clothes in his extended hand. The loss of his hand from my body made it feel as though my own arm had been removed. It was painful and sharp but I could still feel its presence, like a phantom limb.

My limbs felt like they each weighed a ton as I stepped into the bathroom.

"Here, I'll help," called a tinkling voice that I never expected to hear again.

"Alice?" I gasped. It had been so long since I had seen her. None of this felt real. I was so sure that I had lost them all forever and to now have them here, standing in front of me where I could see and touch and smell them was too much. I felt the tears well miserably again and start streaming steadily down my face.

"Hey Bella," she said sadly. "I've got her, go talk to Carlisle," she said turning toward Edward. He glared at her and she met his gaze evenly. He opened his mouth as if he was about to argue but she cut him off swiftly. "We will only be a second. You need to talk to Carlisle now, we need to plan."

He nodded and quickly bent down to kiss my forehead. His hand lingered on my cheek for a moment before he turned away and was out of site. His fingertips burned into my skin. I watched him go and could feel my chest hollow more and more with every step he took away from me. I felt my chest threaten to rip open when I could no longer see him.

Alice took my hand lightly. I gripped her cold, stone hand as if it were my lifeline, the only thing keeping me above water.

"Come on Bella, we need to get you changed."

"What are you doing here?" I rasped as she started pulling off my wet clothes.

"I saw you jump," she said shooting a glare at my face. She was angry. I cringed internally, there would be hell to pay for this stupid, thoughtless act and I was just now beginning to understand what this hell would be.

"Oh." I thought about that for a moment. "And that is why Edward came?"

"Yes," she said quietly. She was subdued and this worried me.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I could feel the panic beginning to take over.

"I'm not sure yet," she said evasively. I could tell that there was something that she was not telling me but I decided not to push it. I didn't have the energy for any long conversations, especially when I had no idea what Edward was doing. For all I knew he could have left already. That thought alone would have been enough to send me to the floor if it wasn't for Alice holding me up.

I looked at her face frantically.

"He is still here," she whispered. "It's okay."

I took a deep breath and nodded slowly. He's still here, at least for a while longer. It became like my mantra. I repeated the words in my head until I felt like I wouldn't lose it.

He's still here. At least for a while. He's still here. At least for a while.

After a moment I asked, "Is everyone else?"

"No. It's just us."

"Oh." That meant that they did not plan to stay long. That shouldn't have hurt as much as it did. What did I expect? Well if I was honest, I didn't expect this. I didn't expect any of it. Honestly, I didn't think past the fall to the water from the cliffs. I didn't even contemplate what I would do once I hit the water. If Edward hadn't been there… I shuddered to think what would have happened. But I had bigger things to worry about. Edward said that the wolves were hunting Victoria, and that meant that they were in danger. And when Jake found out that Edward had crossed the boundary, it wouldn't matter that it was to save my life, Edward was right, this meant war.

Alice propped me up against her side and towed me back into the living room. Edward and Carlisle were deep in conversation but Edward's head snapped up when we came back in. He was instantly by my side. Alice immediately released me and surrendered me to Edward. He scooped me up and sat down on the couch, pulling me into his lap. He glanced at Alice and without a word she handed him the blanket that she was still holding. He opened it up and gently tucked it around me. Alice handed me a glass of water which I drained instantly.

"Thanks," I whispered.

"No problem Bella," she said. She flitted off again and was back instantly with a refill which I accepted gratefully.

"So what do we do now?" I asked quietly.

"We are not sure," Carlisle admitted. "You have befriended the wolves, is that correct?" I felt Edward stiffen slightly but didn't know what to make of it.

"Yes, they will be worried when I am not there," I said. Worried was an understatement and they would be furious when they found out that another vampire had been on their land. I really didn't want to think about how the reaction would be worse when they found out that it was a Cullen, not to mention that that Cullen was Edward…

"How do you think they will react?"

It took me a long moment to figure out what was odd about that question.

"Think?" I repeated dimly. Something suddenly occurred to me when he asked me that. "Why are you asking me this? Don't you already know?"

"No, Bella. It seems that I cannot _see_ them," Alice said. She was clearly annoyed by this fact. I looked at Edward and Carlisle and they both seemed to be worried by this.

"Oh…" I thought about that for a long second. This was not good. Was this some kind of glitch like with me and Edward's extra hearing? I considered the question and didn't like the answer I came up with, but I had to be honest about it.

"Well, honestly, they would do anything for a war. You are not very… _liked_… on the reservation." Again, liked was a major understatement. Hated would be more appropriate. I wanted to find a way to rectify the situation, this was all my fault.

"That is understandable. What do you suggest?"

"I think that I need to go back." I looked only at Carlisle as I said this, but I was painfully away of Edward underneath me. Even as I said the words I could feel my body's reluctance. I could think of no place else I would rather be then here with Edward.

I heard his teeth clench together at my words.

"Absolutely not." Edward growled. In my mind, I could vividly see how he would look— nose flared, eyes cold as ice, lips pulled back— even though I wasn't looking at him. I wasn't sure why he was reacting this way, I knew why the wolves hated the vampires, but I had no idea why this could make Edward react like this…

I had to be diplomatic in my response. I had to make him understand why this was necessary.

"When they catch your scent and I am not there they are going to think the worst. They will not know that it is you. They will just know that a vampire has been on their land and that I am missing. They will assume that you were working with Victoria and that I am dead." I winced at the pain that this was causing Jacob. He would be going insane with worry.

"I understand the need to talk to them, but I will not have you there with them," Edward said sternly.

I did not understand his anger and it was chafing against the raw of my emotions. I took a deep breath and tried to remain as calm as possible.

"I appreciate you saving me, I really do, but Jacob will be going crazy with worry and they need to know that I am alive." Everyone was silent for a moment while Edward and I glared at each other. Beyond his furious gaze I could see him calculating me again. What was he trying to figure out?

"How about this," Alice said suddenly, "why don't you call them? Then they will know that you are alive and we don't have to worry about putting you in danger."

"Danger? What danger?"

"The wolves are dangerous Bella," Carlisle said gently.

"You don't understand, they aren't dangerous, they're my friends. They will be worried about me and I don't want them attacking you. They will not hesitate to start the war and I will not be responsible for that."

"Please Bella," Edward breathed. "Please, you have almost died once today, can you please just do me a favor and call them. We will figure out how to go from there." I looked at him for a long moment; he looked so pained that all I could do was nod. I could give them this.

"Okay," I agreed slowly, "who has a phone?"

"Here Bella," Alice said. She handed me her small silver phone and I looked at it nervously.

I didn't know how to do this. What was the etiquette in this situation? I was with Edward and no matter how much this hurt when he left I didn't think that it was possible for me to leave his presence for another moment. I didn't know how much time I would have with him, but I didn't feel comfortable having an audience. I glanced at Edward for a moment and found that he was studying my face again.

"We'll give you some privacy," Alice said understanding my hesitation. She and Carlisle stood and left the room quickly.

"I can leave as well, if you would like," Edward said quietly, almost reluctantly. The look on his face made my heart flutter for the first time in months. The idea seemed to pain him. I could feel hope quelling in my stomach and I tried to quash it. I couldn't be allowed to hope, not over something so trivial.

"No, no. You can stay," I breathed. As much as I didn't want an audience, I would not be away from Edward until he made me. I would take the pain that would come when he did, but until just being with Edward was more than I could ever have thought to ask for.

I shifted in his lap so that I was facing away from him and flipped open the phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Hello?" Billy answered the phone. He sounded upset.

"Hey Billy, it's Bella."

"Bella? Where are you, are you alright?" It was no longer Billy on the phone, it was Jake.

"Jake," I breathed.

"What in the hell happened?" he shouted.

"Umm…" I bit my lip. How was I supposed to tell him this?

"Are you okay? Where are you?"

"I'm fine, something happened but I am ok."

"Oh my God, I was so worried. Don't you ever do that to me again! Damn it Bella, you almost gave me a heart attack! There has been another vampire on our land. At the beach. And then you weren't there but your truck was… Wait, where are you? Your truck it still here."

"Jake, I need you to listen to me, okay? "

"I'm listening."

"Something happened at the beach. I am fine, please remember that."

"What happened?" his voice went flat.

"I know that there was another vampire there," I whispered.

"What do you mean you know? How do you know, Bella?" He was frantic. I needed him to calm down or this was never going to work out.

"I did something stupid Jake, and I am sorry. I will take responsibility for what happens but you have to remember that it is _my_ fault, and no one else's."

"Please, Bells just tell me."

"Promise me that you will blame me," I held my breath. I knew that I was going to have to trick him into a promise for him to even consider what I was going to request. Had he not been so worried and upset this probably wouldn't work at all and is it was this was going to be a long shot.

"Fine Bells, whatever, just tell me," he growled angrily.

"I went cliff diving." I rushed through the words quickly, hoping that the shock and anger from this statement would make the rest more understandable for him.

"You WHAT? Are you okay? Wait, how are you alive? It is turning into a hurricane out there!" He was yelling so loudly that I had to hold the phone away from my ear. I had no doubt that everyone in the house could hear him. So much for privacy…

"I know, that is why there was a vampire on your land. They saved me Jake, please don't let this break the treaty. I would have died if they didn't. I was stupid and it was all my fault. I wasn't thinking and—"

"Who was it?" His voice was flat, no inflection at all. It scared me.

"Jake, you promised. Blame me. This does not mean war," I pleaded.

"Which one was it?" he demanded slowly. Every word was distinct.

"Edward," I breathed.

"DAMN IT!" he roared.

"Jake please, he saved me. Please understand that. If it wasn't for me none of this would have happened. Please, Jacob, _please_!" I was begging. Edward turned me slightly in his lap so that he could see my face. I didn't even notice the tears running down my face until Edward's cold fingers wiped them gently away.

"Bella, this changes things!" He roared. I heard him take a deep breath. "Are you with him now?"

"Jacob, please just do this for me."

"Are you with him now?" he demanded.

"Jake, please don't do anything rash. Please don't start a fight."

"I can't do that Bella, he broke the treaty."

"To save me, Jake." I hated to do it, it was below the belt but I couldn't have them fighting each other. My old family against my new friends. I shuddered. "You broke the treaty once too, remember?" I whispered.

"This is different—" He began but I cut him off.

"No, it is the same. They were both accidental breaks and _both_ my fault. They didn't react then, please don't react now. Let this go, you're even. Both sides are even," I begged.

"Are you with him?" he asked slowly, every single word distinct.

"Yes," I breathed.

The line went dead.

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So, another chapter down and this one is longer than mine usually are. Just a treat. I didn't want to be horribly mean and stop mid scene or anything. Honestly, if my fingers would let me this entire story could probably be told in just a few actual, really long, chapters. Though, alas, my fingers do so much typing for the newspaper I work for and my English essays that it is hard to get them to co-operate with typing for fun. I am sorry that I can only update once a week (It's been 6 days actually) but between courses, work and trying to graduate on time I don't have much time for anything fun... I am sure most of you understand. Anyways, love it or hate it leave me a comment and let me know. Love you all!


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